By FBFR
The size and ability of the Premier League players is something that never ceases to amaze me.
The Bolton players were all monsters; huge in size and stature and, with the exception of Chris Morgan, we had nothing to match their XXL players. Sure, Camara was busy and should have scored and Walker may one day take his place in the land of the giants, but as for now we have little to offer in the way of competing with the big boys.
As we trooped out of Wembley last May, dejected and crestfallen, we didn't quite realise just how devastating a defeat it was. It saw us parting company with any vestiges of Premier League quality, size and ability - the ever-loyal Morgan apart.
Now, the irony having this so horribly reinforced by Owen Coyle again is not lost on us, although this time the Burnley fans, having thrown away their Owen Coyle masks, have been replaced by Bolton fans in a state of post-Megson euphoria.
The humiliating abandoning of a first-season ship by Coyle only goes to emphasise that size really does count, be it footballers physically or the chairman’s wallet.
We are now facing a shortage of centre halves, a position traditionally filled by big men, so we need a player in quickly. I am not sure that quickly needed signings always work, but maybe this will turn out well with no Killa, and Seip injured for six weeks - we are not in a position of having strength at the back.
Reading arrive in less than 48 hours and, with Williamson limping off the Reebok pitch, we feel very unprepared and can only hope that we catch our visitors in a post-cup success daydream.
Supporters on Saturday were very downhearted and felt we hadn't risen to the occasion nor really gone for it. How much of that was down to the opposition’s ability, and how much was down to us we shall never fully know, but I suspect as and when we return to top-flight football we shall know for sure.
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